Jim Morrison comes alive in PACA show

SEE IT

"Songs & Sonnets by Jim Morrison" will be presented tonight through Sept. 28 by Erie Black Box Theatre at PACA, 1505 State St. Shows are Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays at 8 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m.

The man Rolling Stone once described as "He's hot, he's sexy and he's dead" comes alive again tonight. "Songs & Sonnets by Jim Morrison" will explore the late leader of the Doors through his lyrics and poetry. The locally produced stage play and musical examines his body of work more than his sex appeal -- sorry, Rolling Stone.

"We were going to do a play version, and we really very quickly tossed that idea," said Dan Tingley, the show's director. "We wanted the people to know that Jim Morrison was a lot deeper.

"So, we thought we'd bring out poets, who would actually read some of his poems, and then segue into the music that correlated with those poems."

"It is the Doors music," Tingley said. "Some people have heard it on the radio, some people have never heard these songs, which I think is fantastic -- 'Blue Sunday' and 'Ship of Fools' and 'Queen of the Highway' and 'Indian summer.' There are other songs besides 'Light My Fire.'

"After each poet comes out, there will be a musician coming out and playing the song that will correlate with Jim's poems."

Tingley said he learned plenty about Morrison after reading Carrie Canfield's script for "Songs & Sonnets." The show, produced by Steve Opsanic, includes a couple of monologues, plus as many poems as she could reasonably pack in.

"To read some of (his poems), they're beautifully written and heartfelt," Tingley said. "In that era, there was a lot of upheaval and there were some trying times and he wrote from his heart. A lot of what Carrie found, I'd read it and go, 'That's just beautiful. We have to have that one in there.'"

Joy said it's impossible to deny Morrison's influence, whether through poetry or song.

"Whatever Jim Morrison knew, it spoke to a lot of people and still does, maybe something about ecstasy," he said. "The poetry is an interesting parallel art, like Joni Mitchell's lively paintings."

Some performances will feature after-parties. Bushwacked, an ad hoc group with the show's musicians, plus percussionist Dig It Dave in place of Davis, will play classic rock tonight.

Acclaimed Las Vegas performance art group TSTMRKT will appear following the Sept. 19 show. Legendary French electronic-music pioneer Richard Pinhas plays on closing night, Sept. 28. A to be announced band will follow the Sept. 21 show.

SEE IT

"Songs & Sonnets by Jim Morrison" will be presented tonight through Sept. 28 by Erie Black Box Theatre at PACA, 1505 State St. Shows are Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays at 8 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m.